Alaska State Senate on Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Here are some highlights of what took place in the Alaska State Senate on Tuesday, April 9, 2013:

Senate Floor Session—Today, SB 62 passed the Senate by a vote of 20 to 0. SB 62, sponsored by Senator Olson, relates to grants for school construction.

SB 85 passed the Senate by a vote of 20 to 0. SB 85, sponsored by Senator Bishop, relates to experimental vehicles.

HB 33 passed the Senate by a vote of 20 to 0. HB 33, sponsored by Representative Neuman, adds definitions of 'gravity knife' and 'switchblade' to the criminal law and relates to reserving the authority to regulate knives to the state with limited exceptions for municipalities to regulate knives.

SCR 4 passed the Senate by a vote of 20 to 0. SCR 4, sponsored by Senator Coghill, suspends Rules 24(c), 35, 41(b), and 42(e), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, concerning House Bill No. 33, adding definitions of "gravity knife" and "switchblade" to the criminal law.

SB 49 passed the Senate by a vote of 14 to 6. SB 49, sponsored by Senator Coghill, clarifies “medically necessary abortion” for the purposes of making payments under Medicaid.

The following legislation was introduced on the Senate Floor:

SCR 7, sponsored by the Finance Committee, which suspends Rules 24(c), 35, 41(b), and 42(e), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, concerning House Bill No. 77, relating to the Alaska Land Act, including certain authorizations, contracts, leases, permits, or other disposals of state land, resources, property, or interests, was held on the Secretary's desk.

HB 104, submitted by Governor Parnell, which relates to election practices and procedures, was referred to the State Affairs Committee.

HB 147, sponsored by Representative Saddler, which extends the reporting date for and the termination date of the Comprehensive Autism Early Diagnosis and Treatment Task Force, was referred to the Labor and Commerce Committee.

HB 154, sponsored by Representative Thompson, which gives the University of Alaska the power to designate the University of Alaska Museum of the North at the Fairbanks campus as a repository of state natural and cultural history collections and gives the University of Alaska the power to designate other repositories as needed, was referred to the Education Committee.

HB 198, sponsored by the Labor & Commerce Committee, which proposes changes to the oil and gas leasing statutes to provide the Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources with the ability to grant a one‐time extension to the primary term of an oil and gas or gas only lease, was referred to the Finance Committee.

To view part 1 of the session, click here.
To view part 2 of the session, click here.

Senate Finance Committee—Members considered the following legislation:

HB 94, sponsored by Representative Isaacson, which names the northbound Chena Flood Channel Crossing Bridge the Nellie Miller Bridge and names the southbound Chena Flood Channel Crossing Bridge the Con Miller Bridge. HB 94 moved out of committee and is on its way to the Rules Committee.

HB 84, sponsored by Representative Saddler, which requires the Division of Professional Licensing, University of Alaska and vocational educational facilities to grant educational credit and licensing for relevant military experience and appropriate training. HB 84 moved out of committee and is on its way to the Rules Committee.

HB 99, sponsored by Representative Saddler, which relates to the membership of the Alaska Minerals Commission and extends the termination date of the Alaska Minerals Commission. HB 99 moved out of committee and is on its way to the Rules Committee.

HB 153, sponsored by Representative Lynn, which designates Minnesota Drive and a portion of O'Malley Road in Anchorage the Walter J. Hickel Parkway. HB 153 moved out of committee and is on its way to the Rules Committee.

HB 56, sponsored by Representatives Holmes and T. Wilson, which excludes motorcycles and motor-driven cycles from the passenger vehicle rental tax. HB 56 moved out of committee and is on its way to the Rules Committee.

HB 30, sponsored by the House Finance Committee, which relates to performance reviews, audits, and termination of executive and legislative branch agencies, the University of Alaska, and the Alaska Court System. HB 30 moved out of committee and is on its way to the Rules Committee.

HB 4, sponsored by Representatives Hawker & Chenault, which gives the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation the authority and resources to develop, finance, and operate a 500 million cubic feet per day gas pipeline from the North Slope, serving Fairbanks and Southcentral. HB 4 was heard & held.
To view associated documents, click here.
To view HB 4 documents, click here.
To view part 1 of the meeting, click here.
To view part 2 of the meeting, click here.
To view part 3 of the meeting, click here.

Senate State Affairs Committee—Members considered the following legislation:

SB 64, sponsored by the Judiciary Committee, which establishes the Alaska Sentencing Commission. SB 64 moved out of committee and is on its way to the Judiciary Committee.

HB 130, sponsored by Representative Seaton, which establishes July 21 each year as Jay Hammond Day. HB 130 moved out of committee and is on its way to the Rules Committee.

SB 73, sponsored by Senator Meyer, which allows widows or widowers of someone killed during military service to be granted a partial exemption on their property taxes. SB 73 moved out of committee and is on its way to the Rules Committee.
To view associated documents, click here.
To view the meeting, click here.

Senate Community & Regional Affairs Committee—Members considered HB 131, sponsored by Representative Seaton, which relates to abandoned and derelict vessels. HB 131 moved out of committee and is on its way to the Rules Committee.
To view HB 131 documents, click here.
To view the meeting, click here.

Senate Conference Committee on HB 65 & 66—Members considered the following legislation:

HB 65, submitted by Governor Parnell, which makes appropriations for the operating and loan program expenses of state government and for certain programs, capitalizing funds, and makes reappropriations. HB 65 was heard & held.

HB 66, submitted by Governor Parnell, which makes appropriations for the operating and capital expenses of the state's integrated comprehensive mental health program and makes a reappropriation. HB 66 was heard & held.
To view the meeting, click here.

Senate Labor & Commerce Committee—Members considered and heard public testimony on the following legislation:

HB 175, sponsored by Labor & Commerce, which allows, under certain conditions, a property or casualty insurer to provide policies and endorsements to an insured by posting the policies and endorsements on the insurer's Internet website. HB 175 moved out of committee and is on its way to the Rules Committee.

HB 168, sponsored by the Labor & Commerce Committee, which amends the definition of travel insurance for the purpose of describing a person eligible for a travel insurance limited producer license. HB 168 moved out of committee and is on its way to the Rules Committee.

HB 50, sponsored by Representative Costello, which authorizes the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation to allow certain commercial uses in a multi-unit residential housing development owned or financed by the corporation and limits the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board's issuance of certain licenses to premises in the residential housing development. HB 50 was heard & held.

HB 154, sponsored by Representative Thompson, which gives the University of Alaska the power to designate the University of Alaska Museum of the North at the Fairbanks campus as a repository of state natural and cultural history collections and gives the University of Alaska the power to designate other repositories as needed.

HB 198, sponsored by the Labor and Commerce Committee, which changes to the oil and gas leasing statutes to provide the Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources with the ability to grant a one‐time extension to the primary term of an oil and gas or gas only lease.

HB 52, sponsored by Representative Feige, which relates to allowable absences from the state for purposes of eligibility for permanent fund dividends.

SB 90, sponsored by Senator Dunleavy, which covers all Alaska public school district employees by a state-managed group health insurance program.

HB 4, sponsored by Representatives Hawker & Chenault, which gives the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation the authority and resources to develop, finance, and operate a 500 million cubic feet per day gas pipeline from the North Slope, serving Fairbanks and Southcentral.

SB 13, sponsored by Senator Huggins, which amends the Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority’s enabling statute to provide for a successful procurement for the Knik Arm Crossing project.

11:00 a.m. Senate Floor Session—The following legislation will be considered on the Senate Floor:

SB 95, submitted by Governor Parnell, which revises the salary schedule and offers cost of living adjustments for State employees not covered by collective bargaining agreements.

HB 69, sponsored by Representative Chenault, which exempts certain arms in this state from federal regulation and declares certain federal laws unconstitutional under the Constitution of the United States.

HB 77, submitted by Governor Parnell, which reforms and streamlines procedures for obtaining, issuing, and appealing permits, leases, best interest findings, and other authorizations issued by the Department of Natural Resources, particularly concerning land and water.

SB 73, sponsored by Senator Meyer, which allows widows or widowers of someone killed during military service to be granted a partial exemption on their property taxes.

HB 87, sponsored by Representative Higgins, which extends the sunset requirement to the Special Education Service Agency.

HB 9, which relates to secured transactions under the Uniform Commercial Code and to the regulation of funds transfers, including remittance transfers, under the Uniform Commercial Code and federal law.

HB 24, sponsored by Representatives Neuman, Isaacson, Lynn, and Feige, which relates to self-defense in any place where a person has a right to be.

HB 81, sponsored by the Legislative Council, which makes corrective amendments to the Alaska Statutes as recommended by the revisor of statutes.

HJR 12, sponsored by the Representative Chenault, which encourages the manufacture of firearms and firearms accessories in the state.

1:30 p.m. Senate Judiciary Committee—Beltz 105—Members will consider and hear public testimony on the following legislation:

SB 51, sponsored by Senator Dunleavy, which extends the termination date of the Board of Governors of the Alaska Bar Association.

SCR 3, sponsored by Senator McGuire, which establishes the Joint Committee on Access and Federal Overreach and recommends that the Governor establish a working group to consider establishing a permanent office or authority to preserve state sovereignty.

HB 65, submitted by Governor Parnell, which makes appropriations for the operating and loan program expenses of state government and for certain programs, capitalizing funds, and makes reappropriations.

HB 66, submitted by Governor Parnell, which makes appropriations for the operating and capital expenses of the state's integrated comprehensive mental health program and makes a reappropriation.

4:30 p.m. Senate Labor & Commerce Committee—Beltz 105—Members will consider and hear public testimony on the following legislation:

HB 147, sponsored by Representative Saddler, which extends the reporting date for and the termination date of the Comprehensive Autism Early Diagnosis and Treatment Task Force.

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